In order to manage large quantities of data, computer software applications, such as spreadsheet and database applications, have been developed to organize and store the data in a logical manner. Typical spreadsheet and database applications comprise a large number of records of information, wherein each record comprises a predetermined number of fields. In the context of a database, a database management system is typically used to provide the software tools to manipulate the database more simply. Example database management systems include Microsoft® Access and Microsoft® SQL Server, among others. Databases generally allow users to establish complex data interrelationships, which increases the functionality of database applications but also makes them difficult for new users to understand and master.
A typical database management system provides the user the ability to add, modify or delete data, query data using filters, and the ability to report records in the database. In contrast to filtering, which may remove records from the user's view, reporting simply reorganizes existing records without actually removing any content. Reporting may include grouping (organizing records into groups, hierarchically in the case of multiple groupings), sorting, aggregation (performing numerical processing across one or more groups of records), or other statistical processing of values within records in the database. Moreover, the usual database management system also provides functionality related to maintaining the security and integrity of the database data.
Generating a readable report having large quantities of data in a spreadsheet or database application can be a complex and daunting task, especially to new users. Database applications can be especially difficult to use, since entire query languages are often used (such as Structured Query Language, or SQL) to enable the more sophisticated reports and these languages are complex and have many nuances and are therefore intimidating to new users.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.